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I'LL HAVE YOUR HIDE

2012-01-28T17:16:00.006-06:00

Growing up in San Antonio, we looked forward to this time of the year when the rodeo was about to come to town. Thinking of the rodeo again, made me realize I should write a post about all our cowhide decorating around here. And growing up in Texas, there was a saying "I'll have your hide"! Which basically meant you were in trouble!

Down here in the South we've always loved cowhides and how they can play into the decor of any city slicker home or Texas ranch, and that was way before they were cool and all over the design blogs. For awhile though, like any fashion or design can do, I got tired of them. So for years some of my cowhides went back into storage. In the last couple of years I started loving them again and they've made their way into my rooms.

Cowhides are truly a design statement as rugs. And you either love them or you don't.

(click on ANY photo to enlarge them for better viewing)

I would love to own an all white one.

Awww, yes. I love this one below, and that wall color:

Definitely a city slicker girl here:

Cowhides add texture , a visual boost, and are soft on the feet. And they're forgiving of pet hair! From storage, our black and white cowhide found it's home under our breakfast table.

I've had this cowhide pillow since Billy's "cowboy room" days & recently pulled it out of storage too:

Our brown and white cowhide fits great in the Study:

I actually have the large one on the floor of the Study, and a small one for an accent on the credenza.

Now, if you're not a fan of the "organic" shape of all the cowhides I've shown you so far, then what about if you could have your cowhide in a square cut or a round rug, or even a custom size rug?
The very talented , Kyle Bunting of Austin creates AMAZING rugs, laser cut from cowhides in any shape & color your little heart desires. If you've never seen his work, then please take the time to check out his website. The designs are gorgeous and in the most beautiful patterns and colors.
Here's a few examples of Kyle Bunting's work:

Kyle's company not only creates rugs, but they also create cowhide upholstered walls:

Are you excited about Kyle's work as much as I am??! Good news too. Kyle's having a sample sale, and it officially ends Friday, Feb 3rd. Here's a few samples on sale:

Be sure to check out all the other cowhides on sale by going to their website HERE. Kyle Bunting is only available to the Trade.
If you're interested in purchasing any of his cowhides or samples, you can contact me directly for pricing & ordering HERE.

How about you? Will you have a hide? Like I said, people either loooove cowhides or you just don't.

I tend to love em!
Yeehaaaa with a modern twist!

All the best,

(images via Pinterest, Kyle Bunting, My Little Happy Place, and Van Wicklen Design)

STRIKE A POSE

2012-01-15T10:55:00.004-06:00

Murals are a great way to add some visual or graphic punch to a room. They create an overscaled work of art. Murals Your Way has many styles to choose from or you can create your own, and they will digitally size it and send to you. Easy to install , to create instant drama to any room.

If you don't want to use up an entire wall, you can create canvas prints from your fave digital photo. Canvas On Demand is one site:

Love the boat above I found at ZGallerie Friday night.....wouldn't this be great in a beach house?

Another way to have some fun to a wall, and add color is to take a fave pic and give it the Andy Warhol touch, via All Pop Art.

Have you recreated any of your favorite pictures onto canvas? Send me your creative ideas, would love to see them! Or would you like to create a mural or canvas but need advice for your room? Email me for online consultations for any design questions HERE

In other news......

My son Billy got married this weekend! to Bridget!

They had a very simple ceremony and will have a celebration party at a later date.

Congrats to Billy & Bridget with loads of love & blessings!

Me, the proud Mom with my first born, Billy!

Billy's auditioning today for America's Got Talent (He's a Singer/Songwriter/Keyboard & Guitar Player) ....Hope you'll send him prayers!!

I hope they "hear him sing"; he's got a heart bigger than Texas and deserves to be heard......good luck Tiger!

You can LIKE his musician Facebook page HERE for updates. AGT will announce those that move on to the next round late February, early March.

Make it a great week ,

xoxo,

SPARKLY

2011-12-31T12:14:00.002-06:00

As 2011 winds down, I wanted to share some images full of sparkle, but also thank you for following this blog this year. You are the "spark" that encourages me to write and so I'm thankful for you.

Goals for 2012 should include adding some orange to your decor , THE Pantone color of the year. And living sparkly:

In 2012, I hope you share alot of this:

I hope you add some sparkle to your rooms:

Wear something fun this New Year's:

And always remember to spark up your boudoir:

From our family to yours, I wish you a blessed New Year, full of love, happiness, peace and good health.

(Jackie, Billy, Bridget (Billy's fiancee), and Luke)

All the best,

p.s. I hope in the New Year to figure out the " new editor" on this blog. Do any of you utilize the "new editor" on Blogger? My text is all over the place, even though I tell it to "center". So bear with me as I learn the new editing version.

A goal of mine in 2012 is to finally hire an assistant again , part time. IF you are computer & graphic or interior design savvy, email me!

ONE OF THE BEST BEDROOMS OF 2011!

2011-12-27T10:53:00.001-06:00

The Crystal Creek bedroom I designed in 2011, was voted one of the best bedrooms of 2011 from the HOUZZ "readers choice" panel!

I'm honored to be amongst wonderful Designers that were chosen. Check out the other beautiful choices here:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1022374/list/Readers--Choice--The-20-Best-Bedrooms-of-2011

Thank you HOUZZ, for the shout out!

All the best,

xo,

THE STOCKINGS WERE HUNG.....

2011-12-24T11:35:00.002-06:00

The stockings are now all hung by the chimney with care,

but here's a history of how they were created that I wanted to share.

Our previous Pottery Barn stockings had seen better days, the velvet was starting to fade and I was tired of the colors , hunter green and burgundy. Plus this Christmas, we have a new addition to our family: Bridget. Bridget is Billy's fiancee. So, I decided it was time to create a new arrangement of stockings including Bridget into the family. I had linen fabric stored away from previous projects, along with some lace I've had for years, and found a stocking pattern you can download on the internet.

Next I gathered an assortment of brooches I inherited from my Mother-in-law Molly to embellish the stockings, along with some ribbon:

I ended up using just the French ticking stripe ribbon for the hooks, and nixed the turquoise velvet. The insides of the stockings are a plush , "soft as a baby's blankie" fleece fabric. And here's what "Mrs. Claus" came up with:

(you can always click on photos to enlarge the detail)

I'm thinking of adding some satin small ribbons to the brooches, but that will be next year! It's Christmas Eve and this sled needs to get into high gear!

From JVW HOME to yours,
we wish you a very Merry Christmas filled with lots of love, family & many blessings,

Jaipur Wallcoverings

2011-12-06T11:14:00.012-06:00

Schumacher announced new wallcoverings today. They are made in the Jaipur tradition of hand blocking prints using classic patterns in a new interpretation.

Here's a few examples of the new offerings & keep in mind they can all be ordered in various colorways:

Schumacher & Co. is available to the trade only or you can order through Van Wicklen Design.

Have a great day,

All images via Schumacher & Co.

Bringing the GREAT OUTDOORS In

2011-12-04T15:12:00.029-06:00

Yesterday we went on our annual Christmas tree hunt. We always go to the hip south Austin nursery called THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
Our friend Tom Tingley is the owner of this little slice of heaven. All year long the plants , flowers, and garden accessories there are a treasure trove. But during the holidays they get the best assortment of really fresh and beautiful Christmas trees.
I love the eye candy they display in each of their garden vignettes, and thought I'd share some fun, colorful images.

HOOTERS....

HOTTIE SNOWMAN.......

TOPIARY TEASE.....

FROG YOGA......

HOT POTS......
GNOME NEEDS A HOME.....

ARMY ANTS......FIESTA FOREVER......

We found our Christmas tree there , and a few other goodies. One of them is this beautiful succulent wreath. I decorated the wreath by wrapping a clear vase with burlap fabric, and turned it into a candleholder. I placed it on a wicker charger and it instantly becomes a great table statement......

And speaking of bringing the great outdoors in.....

I recently found more deals at Lowe's, like the fresh wreaths decorated in burlap & silk ribbons:
Along with a beautiful table arrangement:

Hope you're staying warm and enjoying the beauty of this season.

Cheers,

If you need design help, call on me! Would love to help you in Austin or online. Email me for rates and info. See our contact page at www.jvwhome.com

Want to see a picture close up? Remember you can always click once or twice to enlarge any photos!

Lighting Deals

2011-11-30T17:02:00.017-06:00

Recently I spotted some great lighting buys.
Check out these comparisons:

Shades of Light pendant $ 259.00

Lowe's pendant, $ 118.00

Shades of Light vanity sconce, $ 119.00

Lowe's vanity sconce, $ 54.00

Shades of Light sconce, $ 198.00:

Lowe's sconce, $ 39.00

I prefer the Shades of Light lighting because I've always loved their quality. Their lighting always looks even better in person. Plus Shades of Light gives you finish options in all their lighting. But, when you're on a budget and have to scrimp, then Lowe's has some great alternatives.

I had to share a fixture that Shades of Light recently introduced. It's too cute and comes in verde or a light distressed cream,
Adorable birds in a cage, $ 119.00

And another great buy today, the burlap pendant from Shades of Light, on sale for $ 39!

Can you believe it's December 1? A few furry photos to start the December dance:Bergdorf Goodman's 2012 window

Make it a great day,

All images via Van Wicklen Design, Shades of Light, Habitually Chic, Slim Paley, Inspired Design

Doorway to Christmas

2011-11-26T15:44:00.021-06:00

Having moved into a new home this past summer, we now have two front entry doors. So, I'm on the hunt for two wreaths this season, and needed a little inspiration. I decided to gather ideas from all my fave places, especially Pinterest. I thought you might enjoy eyeing some pictures for your holiday inspiration too, whether you have a single or double door.

I'm either going to be simple with live greenery wreaths, or order faux boxwood ones:

And step inside for more inspiration......

Cooper and Dylan are sharing their favorite decoration. Just might put snow dog by the front door, although I'm thinking I might need two for that balance I'm crazy about:

Similar to this beautiful vignette:

What will your doorway to Christmas be like? Would love to see your ideas too!

Cheers,

All images via Pinterest, unless otherwise specified.

Sneak Peek , Misty's Redo

2011-11-16T07:25:00.014-06:00

If you follow the blog, you know I was recently working on a fast turnaround remodel. I featured the story in TEN DAYS DOWN, in case you missed it. Be sure to check it out to see how we transformed a local Austin home from a "Southwest" look to an updated "modern rustic chic" look.

Last week I started "dressing" the house and I'll show you a peek of the new elements in the room.

One of my fave parts of my job is shopping for a client. The next fave part is the installation day.
I make the clients leave the house for a few hours and then they come back to a fun makeover surprise.

You'll notice when I shop for clients I like to hunt at Marshalls, Home Goods, Pier 1, etc. for the accessorizing. I always go to a high end designer store first to get key pieces for a room. Then after getting those "designer" pieces, I'll hunt through my local budget friendly stores for other accessories. When I say "designer pieces" I basically mean one of a kind accessories , antiques, or high end pieces for a room. The client and I usually share a ton of emails back/forth to share ideas, and alot of times we'll order accessories/furnishings online too. Online shopping makes a Decorator's job so much more ez these days.

The designer pieces I chose for Misty's redo are the antique aqua Carboy jug, also called a Demijohn, and the 3 tall candlesticks in the background:

(notice the brand new rock hearth/ fireplace! ck out the old fireplace HERE)

The antique rustic and chippy jug I filled with dried flowers:
(today less is more.....no more " overly stuffed" silk flower arrangements)

An antique iron gate with a beautiful patina:(I'll show you in a later post what we did with this beautiful iron piece.)

All of these pieces came from REVIVAL. If you live in Austin, you need to check out this fun store. The owners Tara and David Camp are always stocking it with amazing finds. They also have a Facebook page with updates of their shipments.

So, here you get a glimpse on the first installation day:

(remember you can always click on photos to enlarge the photo!)

We're not quite finished, but next week I'll post more pictures.

Have a great day,

SIT BACK DOWN......

2011-11-07T10:49:00.012-06:00

Susan Hornbeak Ortiz is the talented designer behind the line SHINE By SHO. I love some of her amazing upholstered pieces shown here.

The VERONA chair:

The LOLA chair:
The Yves Chair:

The GABRIELLE chair:
And the sophisticated chic MANHATTAN sofa:

Be sure to check out her entire website of unique lighting, furniture, case goods and artwork. Available to the trade, or contact VAN WICKLEN DESIGN.

Have a great week,

GOLD RUSH

2011-10-29T20:12:00.020-05:00

Have you noticed alot of gold metals lately? Alot of showrooms at the recent High Point Market, had alot of gold elements in their vignettes. Whether in mirrors, lamps, flatware, hardware or curtain rods.....gold is worth alot again.

I started having a gold rush a couple of years back with this lamp, now in my living room:
And this one in my piano room:
This season though I'm beginning to see gold making it's comeback more and more. There's gold in interiors, but also fashion accessories such as Austin based Kendra Scott's line.
Love this Ainsley bracelet from her current collection:
Mom's are even jumping on the gold rush by adding it into the baby's nursery:

In kitchens, lighting and hardware is getting the gold touch:

Nails are going glam:

Bags are even getting bling with the Tory Burch clutch:

Recently REVIVAL in Austin, just got this fabulous pendant:

Ralph Lauren recently introduced gold again in his new classic collection called One Fifth:
I've been recently considering adding some gold curtain rods into my home office.

What do you think about gold coming back. Are you having a gold rush?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!,

(images via Pinterest, Revival, All Lacquered Up, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Van Wicklen Design)

Crocodile Walls & Barn Slider Doors

2011-10-18T14:23:00.009-05:00

In my Yahoo mail today I had two newsletters relating to each other that I wanted to share. The first one was from Zita Raymond, a faux artist I use for projects in Austin. Actually Zita's crew flew with me to Mississippi when we worked on a southern historical home. They will travel all over and have done all size jobs. Zita has many years of experience and has an incredibly talented team.

Zita recently created the walls above in a crocodile texture for a downtown project. I wanted you to notice the walls because they are beautiful! (click or double click on the image to enlarge the photo).
Wouldn't they be great in a man's study, a master bedroom or a boys's room?

I thought you'd love to see how Zita adds a detail to any ceiling with Anaglypta papers also . They give you the look of old metal ceilings and can be painted in any color you like. A great way to add warmth to your dining room and they're also great in powder bath ceilings:
In the first image above, notice one of my fave details to include in design: the sliding barn door. Notice the hardware is on a stainless steel track.

The other email newsletter in my box today was from the Interior Design Society , and they were advertising an October special for the sliding track hardware from Barn Door Hardware.
Stainless steel sets , in October, are running as low as $ 795. If you've ever priced the hardware, it can get pricey. If you've been thinking about a barn door project, then now's the time to grab this great deal!

Have a great day,

E-Design (Girls Bedroom)

2011-10-11T15:04:00.032-05:00

Recently my client Jennifer asked me to do another E-Design, this time for her daughter Kendall's room. E-Design is great when you just need extra ideas to top off a room, & help with the direction of the room. One of the best perks about E-Design, is that you can shop online for most items!

Here's where we started with Kendall's room.
Jennifer had already purchased items from Pottery Barn as our base, and I just needed to add some touches to pull it all together.

The main focal point of the room is the fun Madison quilt they bought, from Pottery Barn Teen.Jennifer had just painted her daughter's room a great lavender and also painted the iron table a vivid turquoise. She bought a new green velvet tufted headboard, cute "butterfly" chair, and great crystal bubble lamps...but looking into the room it just needs something more.

First of all I suggest to hang the curtains higher, midway between the top of the window and the ceiling. Doing so, will make the room feel taller & draw the eye up. Next I recommend adding a border to the bottom of the existing white curtains with a band of the chevron green fabric. I would also take out the brown wood blinds, and swap out with white ones. The best cost alternative are Lowe's "cut to fit" blinds. Take your measurements to any Lowe's and they'll cut the blinds while you wait. Or have a custom made fabric shade in place of the brown wood blinds.

Here's the large graphic chevron print I suggest for the extra band of fabric at the bottom of her white curtains. Don't know how to sew? Just take to your local alterations place and they can easily sew them and it's alot cheaper than custom. I love to create and sell custom window treatments, but I always like to give a client an economical solution first.
The large graphic print will add another bold punch of color to the room and give it that extra wow factor.

Kendall created a GREAT assortment of colorful graphics by framing scrapbook paper. I suggested moving these over the green headboard, and moving the desk to another wall.
They added a few bubble ring flowers on the wall.....I suggested moving those to the wall where the framed scrapbook papers currently are.
The dresser is a great classic but for visual interest, I suggest painting it a fun turquoise shade. Remove the clutter, then place cute jewelry holders on the dresser for organized storage. Even sweet antique china tea cups would be a great way to store jewelry.

Jennifer has this great mirror she's considering for the room. I suggest painting it a high gloss Super White from Benjamin Moore. Hang the mirror vertically above the dresser. I'd also paint the base of the shabby chic lamp. Paint the main body Super White, then accent the bands with the alternating colors shown below. Add an updated drum shade and instantly the lamp is made over too! I'd also place the floor lamp over by the green butterfly chair.

A fun way to add extra sitting space in children or teens rooms are floor cushions. I'd love for Kendall to add a couple of them to her room. Love the vivid crochet poufs made by La Casa De Coto. (check out their colorful website)

I'm also lovin' this pouf for Kendall's room from Aleta Fae:

Here are the rest of the suggestions all together on a design board.....
Jennifer can easily click on the highlighted areas of each recommendation below, and this will allow them to find the item to purchase online:

1) Chevron Euro Shams in apple green & white for the bedding
2) mauve purple and white lattice rug for the right side of the bed
3) light kit for existing white ceiling fan
4) curtain rods
5) outlet covers
6) knobs for dresser
7) white nightstands to put on each side of the bed
8) Paint color from Benjamin Moore for the dresser ,BM Tropicana Cabana
9) Drum Shade for existing floor lamp
10) Velvet pillow for the center of the bed, monogram with initial(s)
11) jewelry holder , place on top of the dresser
12) owner's quilt, Madison from PB Teen
13) Accent paint color to paint on bands of existing floor lamp, BM Stem Green
14) Kitty hook for wall, or back of door
15) throw to place on green butterfly chair
16) lamp for desk
17) Chair for desk
18) Another accent color for the bands on the floor lamp, BM Pink Taffy
19) Ring holder for dresser
20) Barn light , hang above the painted white Ikea floor length mirror
21) Chevron fabric for bottom band of curtains
22) pouf, place in front of the green chair...use for extra gf's hanging out!
23) need more pouf's for extra gf's? place these on the right side of the dresser, on the floor. Pull out into room when needed.
24) paint this mirror a high gloss white, hang on the left wall, in between bed and the desk. Hang the barn light above, centered.

And here's a detailed version for Jennifer & Kendall to reference when their new items arrive. (remember to click each image to enlarge):

I just spotted something else that would be so fun and a great conversation piece for Kendall's friends! The mini cooler from Pottery Barn Teen.....keeps bottled waters/sodas/snacks handy in your room ....place this on the dresser or the desk and it's instant fun!

I'm working on upgrading my E-Design packaging more. But until I can master my photo editing program , I hope that Jennifer and Kendall have the direction they'll need to complete a fun young girl's room!

If you need design help with your room, send me an email for rates here.

All the best,

Design by Sarah

2011-10-08T18:09:00.011-05:00

Recently while in San Antonio, my sis-in-law Sarah had us over for a small lunch. I thought you'd love to see the details of her home.

Sarah's always gracious and welcoming from the moment you are at the front door. See the small chalkboard with our names on the door:

I could easily take photos of their entire "magazine worthy" 3 story amazing house, but with only a short visit, I just snapped a few photos to share.

The living room is refined yet casual....
Sarah knew zebra was cool before it was everywhere in the design world.

The table was set for Fall using a Cinderella pumpkin as the centerpiece, tortoise shell napkin rings & sprigs of grape leaves. A geometric linen runner with a key motif was
my favorite table detail.

Sarah recently purchased the runner on a Uganda missionary trip. She's planning on turning it into a valance later.

Old style tags were used for place cards on top of plaid goody boxes.

A painted gold tree holds goody boxes for those not able to join the lunch:

Sarah is thinking about going into the monogram business one day, and owns the rights to this antique, special Arabesque monogram on her dining chair:

Love the coordinating chair with the daisy detail on the nailheads,

... her collection of antique blue and white china,

...the simplicity of live ferns in tall vases.

Sarah's kitchen is the heart of the home. We normally eat in the kitchen at a large farmhouse table. And I should've taken more pics of this fab kitchen, but I'll remember next time.
The backsplash of her stove is an antique painting, isn't it gorgeous??

(remember you can always click on a photo to enlarge the photo)

Her double refrigerator/freezer doors are my fave.....they're antique Italian scenes painted on wood, retrofitted to each door:

Hanging beside her extra large arched wood window is a sweet collection of family baby cups:

Before leaving, Sarah had to share her latest gadget, the Nespresso machine. I'm telling you this needs to be on your Christmas list. The Nespresso machine made the best cup of Espresso cup & it's super EZ!!

Looks appropos for a Fall day , don't you agree?

Wishing you a yummy Fall kind of day,

Design by Dentist

2011-10-04T09:47:00.023-05:00

Dr.David Myers in Conway, Arkansas designed his orthodontic office , taking 3 years to complete. He incorporated his love of old cars & vintage memorabilia into his office.

Dr. Myers should win a design award for one very cool place to work:

When we designed my husband's dental office, I wanted the waiting room to have calming colors, fabrics and ambient lighting.. Often times patients are nervous to see a Dentist and you have to give them a calm space before heading off to the operatory chairs. We also incorporated the option of watching T.V.(mounted on the wall) or wearing head phones with your choice of music, while having dental work.

Dr. Myers chose another way of calming his patients, through an office with attention to detail. The details are what probably keep his patients calm because there is so much eye candy & colorful focal points.

I love guitars on the wall and what a cool idea having the billboard:
Not sure about the red and yellow room though. Sorry Doc, all I could think about here is an Oscar Meyer hot dog with mustard and ketchup.
But his name IS Dr. Myers, :)
Girls gotta love the pink cadillac with the cowhide upholstery.

How clever is this desk area?
I love how he incorporated the windows as well.
I've been working on updating my husband's dental website. Natalie Reis, my website guru of Modern Sugar is almost finished. The new website will have iconic Austin pictures of guitars, lakes, bluebonnets & the beautiful hill country.
But , I've gotta give Dr. Myers kudos on his website design too. Check out his FUN website HERE.

Would love to know your thoughts about Dr. Myers office.
Does your Dentist have a fun office you'd like to share?

All the best,

Ten Days Down

2011-10-02T16:47:00.016-05:00

I'm working with clients wanting to update a home from a "Southwest Santa Fe" look, to a more "Texas modern meets rustic" decor. My clients had to move into another home during the renovations and therefore on a time crunch. In just ten days, we've done the following updates and almost finished!

Starting with the main room, we addressed the fireplace mantel and stone, ,floor tile, as well as the arch entertainment niches , furnishings, and cabinet stains.
I also suggested changing the lighter pine ceiling beams to a rich stain of espresso, changing the Southwest columns, lighting and overall furnishings.

The homeowners wanted tile floors again and chose the following selections. The larger tile is the main tile that will be the new tile in most of the house. The small sample is the granite they chose for the kitchen along with the linear backsplash:
The homeowners purchased a welcoming Fall palette of living room pillows from Pottery Barn:They will use these on their existing modern espresso leather sectional, along with new chairs & ottoman we've selected in neutral linens.

The homeowners loved the length of their existing dining table, especially for parties, but wanted an updated look.
We picked out a new family friendly farmhouse table, along with linen & nailhead chairs:
We stained the living room ceiling beams a deep espresso stain:
We also took out the original arches and added rustic wood lintels. The lintels will be stained like the beams. The windows will get new grass woven shades.

The old Colorado stone fireplace facade was replaced with a smaller stone , taking it up to the ceiling, and adding a mantel out of the stone:

The older Southwest columns were replaced with a more squared off rustic column:
The front door will be replaced with an updated style and the Southwest transom window above the door, will be changed out to a plain piece of glass.

Back in the dark master bathroom. We needed to bring in extra light and enlarge the existing space visually.
The stained glass came down

...and a new freestanding bathroom cabinet was built.

Originally, the old bathroom counters butted up to the existing tub. But we squared off the cabinet , making it freestanding and there will be a white freestanding tub under the window. The freestanding vanity will have a painted and glazed finish.

This hardworking subcontractor is there on Sunday.

Check back later as we progress through this fast remodel....I think we've gotten alot done in "ten days down", dont' you?

In other news, this week I was asked to interview as part of the Design team for HGTV's Property Brothers. They will be shooting 13 episodes soon in the Austin area and the producers were in town this week, scouting Designers, Contractors, etc.. They normally shoot their episodes in Canada, but are venturing out to Austin. They conducted their interviews this past Thursday and still molding the Austin team. Not sure if I'll be chosen, but it was an honor to be asked. How fun would the opportunity be?! Part of their production is doing home makeovers with a fast 4-5 wk. turnaround. They know I love, love remodels and hopefully if they're still "scouting" me, they'll see that in Texas we CAN get it done!

Ten days down and this project is almost done!

Have a great week,

PAINT & PEACOCK

2011-09-27T19:07:00.024-05:00

My home design office has been a bit of a nightmare since moving. I'm now working on organizing the interior of the office, and figuring out what color I want to "work with" on the walls. Picking a color for a design office, is a huge task.

Out of all the colors I research each week, what color do I really want to stare at each day, from my desk? I prefer a stark white design office , but it just doesn't work in this house for many reasons. So, instead of disliking my creamy white trim (came with the house), I decided to embrace it.

I had to have some color in my office though.
My inspiration for the wall color came from different areas: my favorite colors, the main fabric going into the room & a wild peacock
I hear just outside the office window each day.

Now, when I was thinking of a stark white trim, I had envisioned a rich deep blue wall with one of these fabrics as an accent:IMAN'S IKAT

TRINA TURKS' PEACOCK

But both of those options look great with a stark white trim, not a cream trim. So, I had to find something that works with a cream trim and coordinates with the rest of the decor going on elsewhere in my house. I had to tone it down a bit.

Kravet's Ikat linen fabric is a rich blend of mochas, teals, kelly green and cream. (Actually looks better in person, than this image.)

I decided to upholster some chairs with this fabric and bring them into the office.
I had two sweet old French chairs, once loved in leopard , and decided to give them an extreme makeover with the Kravet fabric.
I ordered 2 antique French burlap sacks. I wanted these on the backs of the chairs since it's not comfy fabric. But the texture would be a great accent.
Before heading to the upholsterer, the chairs were painted Navajo White and aged with a tea stain glaze.

They came home one day with their new reveal:

I decided to try a bunch of coordinating colors for my design office because I have a beveled ceiling and might add a contrasting color there, or on the door trim.

Up with the samples:

On the dark colored wall I'll add curtains with a pop of a light fabric , such as one of these:

I'll add more texture to the room with grass woven shades, behind the curtains:
So, which colors did I choose? I'll give you a hint. One of them is inspired by my neighbor's wild peacock. Stay tuned and I'll let you know soon.

Oh, and did you notice my personal fan deck? This is a great way to store colors for future reference. Drill a hole at the end of paint stir sticks, then attach with either a zip tie or a burlap string. Paint each sample color on the end, write the paint name and or paint number, for ez reference later.

Do you have a home office? What color did you choose for your office, and what was your inspiration?

Let me know, would love to know how you color your world.

All the best,

WEDNESDAY FIND

2011-07-20T14:51:00.005-05:00

Remember my last post about the Home Office? Today there is a great Groupon for the photo on canvas I mentioned. I emailed the Groupon to my client Jennifer, in a hurry while having my morning coffee, without really reading ALL the details. Like the size, for instance! To err is human right? Yes, decorator's do make goofs once in awhile....it happens. Therefore we usually check and re-check again when doing anything involving measuring BEFORE ordering!
The Groupon is only for a 16" x 20" size canvas. Too small for the look I was presenting to Jennifer. She asked if she could use this coupon but print two of that size, different photos and hang the two above her proposed credenza.
I personally would prefer to see one large print vs. the 2 smaller size ones.

Her question led me to dig further on options of sizing for the photo canvas based on the proposed credenza size. In my last post I suggested a bold canvas size of 40" x 60", which is fun in the right print such as an iconic Italian beach scene photo.

However, if Jennifer prints a large canvas of her children photos , then a smaller size would be best. I would suggest going with the canvas company I mentioned in the last post, but using one of these sizes, and hang only one canvas horizontally:

a) 20" x 30"
or
b) 24"x 36"

Both sizes would probably work and the price is so much better than the huge one I first suggested. The best way to know what size you should order, is to cut out large freezer paper templates in the given sizes. Tape each size up above your furniture piece and determine this way. If you are ordering new furniture to be placed under the art, then cut out a template with the freezer paper for the furniture piece also and lay on the ground. Next figure the size of your two lamps that will be placed on the credenza and eye it to determine the best size.

Also, after researching the mirrored credenza again, I noticed the "gulp" price tag of $ 3,500. Sorry, but for a home office, I want the chic look, but not the awful price.
I realized I had seen another version of this cabinet on Home Decorator's Collection, for alot cheaper!
Check out the lesser priced version

and you can find it HERE for a much better price of $ 719, including FREE shipping.

Enjoy your day,

xox,

UPDATING A HOME OFFICE

2011-07-08T18:30:00.021-05:00

I recently helped a client , Jennifer, with some new ideas for her Austin home. Jennifer was wanting to update her home with a more modern look. One of the rooms we discussed was her home office. Today I'm sharing a design board to inspire her with new updated ideas.
(Sorry for the awful IPhone pics, my camera is back in the repair shop, so bear with me.)

The home office is the first room on the left, as you notice enter her home. Therefore it needs to look simplified, orderly and flow with the colors of the surrounding rooms. We will discuss the other rooms in later posts to follow.

I suggested replacing the pair of wood doors with glass paneled French doors.

The client has an adorable antique chair in the back right corner. I suggested reupholstering the chair in a modern new fabric. The existing rug is great and is the base of the room. She also wanted advice on the placement of her pieces and how to de-clutter. Right now she uses an armoire for her home office station. The armoire is on the wall, just to the left, as you enter into the room.....out of view of the entry.
However, when sitting there it's dark and not user friendly or cheery. The room has beautiful dark wood floors, but with alot of dark furniture pieces it feels heavy. Moving the furniture, de-cluttering and making the room lighter, will all create better Feng Shui , allowing her to become more productive and enjoy the space.
She also has the nice glass cabinet (two pics above) but I suggested moving this piece into her dining room for more china storage. A lighter credenza in her office would help to brighten the space.

Next to the desk area, there's a large window with plantation shutters and a silk ficus plant. I suggested removing the plant because it's overpowering the space and outdated.
I've suggested a few ways to update her space below using Dwell's fun fabrics.
Thinking of the colors in her existing rug, I instantly thought of Dwell's colorway with this peacock fabric. Of course, with any fabric I always suggest getting a large swatch and then take it home. In this situation, we'd have to make sure it works with the rug. Pictures on a computer can sometimes be color deceiving, so all swatches need to be tested in the light of the actual space.

Here's how I would rearrange and update her office:

Here's a great visual for a chair covered in the peacock fabric. My client's antique chair would be tufted vertically, but still a nice fabric choice. The existing stain of a dark walnut would be a nice accent to the fabric.
If the peacock fabric choices are more aqua than the blues in the rug, then she could easily swap the existing rug for a solid seagrass rug. OR keep the existing rug and use another fabric from Dwell that leans to the grey blues:
and coordinate with this charcoal fabric:

Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage would be a nice color for the walls with a white trim color:

My client also had different diplomas sitting on her glass cabinet in dark frames. These would look great updated in white modern frames, with a mat in a coordinating color such as the aqua blue. She could hang these on the wall, just to the right, as you enter the home office.

Couple of additional notes.
1) Not all rooms have floor plugs. If this room doesn't have one, then you can conceal ugly cords with floor cord covers that match your existing wood, available HERE.
2) Four 10" decorative baskets can be stored on the lower part of the file cabinet to store more office supplies, add texture to the room & reduce clutter.
3) Greenery on the desk is always nice. Preferably a live plant, but a good fake is this small plant,

available from Crate and Barrel HERE.

Are you wanting to update a room, but don't live in Austin? I'll be happy to help you with e-decorating. Send me your photos and I'll be happy to give you fresh new ideas too! Check my website for details.

Have a great weekend,

Inspirational Board resources here:
1 & 2, 3, 4 & 6, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

All other images via Calico Corners, Dwell Studio and Van Wicklen Design, Restoration Hardware

LIBERTY LOVE MIX

2011-07-02T09:26:00.028-05:00

Red, white and blue is always a classic in any home. Sharing a mix today of all things in a patriotic color scheme.

Here's a few Ralph Lauren fabrics from the Kravet line. Each one will still look timeless in your home ten years from now:
Ralph Lauren for Calico Corners:

Love the elements in this shutter art print from PHOTO HALE.

Italian boats print is great for any red, white and blue room. From MELIA HANN.

Beautiful blue jean baby!! Framed flag art created by recycled blue jeans. One of a kind from HATCHETT DESIGNS.

Show your liberty love by dressing up this weekend in red, white and blue from LANGFORD MARKET in Austin:
I really love Langford Market because the store is full of great clothes at really good prices, but they also sell a few chairs and chandeliers that are wonderful too. They're located in the fun west 2nd street downtown district of Austin. Also, every time I've been there all the sales staff is genuinely nice and helpful, so check it out! "Like" them on Facebook for weekly happenings, new shipments and specials too.

TIGER singing solo last night at Steiner Ranch. Good music, family, friends, beautiful sunset on the lake with an enormous flag billowing above.....now that's my idea of a great patriotic time.

Hope you'll have a beautiful Americana style weekend too!

xoxo,

All the fabrics above can be purchased through Van Wicklen Design.

Images via Langford Market, Etsy & Kravet.

QUEEN OF MYSTERY

2011-06-28T08:17:00.009-05:00

Ok, so most of y'all know I'm the greatest fan to my son's Austin band, CROWDED HILL. Today, they posted a new video of one of their latest songs, "Queen of Mystery". My son, Billy Shoemaker, Jr., (affectionately called "TIGER") is the singer/songwriter while Cale Kniffin rocks the lead guitar, Jack Dennison swoons the bass, and "Tiny" orchestrates the drums. (sometimes Billy's cousin Hans will play the drums too).

Tiger is amazing how quickly he can whip out songs about his life. After a day on the lake,(Tiger & Bridget Walker)

we all came back to the house for a birthday dinner for Bridget:

We later sat around the piano and listened to 3 new songs Tiger had just created, that are beautiful. I can't wait to share those when they master the songs. ( the band hasn't even heard these new creations yet)

Watch the video to the end, cuz it's all good & I'd love to know what you think!! Better yet, join CROWDED HILL on Facebook because they're about to release more videos soon.

Without further ado....I give you: CROWDED HILL.

Encore!

Who's in the Houzz?

2011-06-20T07:37:00.006-05:00

I was featured again on HOUZZ last week.
Shoshana Gosselin's article features loads of inspirational ideas with "above the bed" vignettes. Shoshana included the room I designed above, in her collage of ideas.

Click HERE for the full story.

Have a great week!

JVW MIA?

2011-06-14T12:26:00.012-05:00

Yep, I've been "missing in action" alright. We've been moving the past few weeks into our new home. I JUST got my office in order this past Friday, and so now I'll be able to work & write again.
(isn't that the cutest card my SIL gave us?)

We moved from the sweet 1800's farmhouse to a new , Tuscan style one story. We hope to show you ideas we incorporated, for warming up a new house with unique touches. Unfortunately my camera isn't working again. So , until I get a new camera, I'll show you a couple of "not so great" Iphone pics. At least you'll get a teensy glimpse.

In the first pic below, you'll see the living room before we started the transformation. When we bought this house, all the rooms (and I mean ALL) were painted this gold beige. The entire house felt dark. I knew the first thing I wanted to do was lighten the spaces. With the gold, you had to turn on lighting to feel good in the house. Now, I hardly have to turn on lights, unless I want that special ambient lighting.

I've always loved seaside Italian homes with a more Mediterranean feel, and knew I needed to incorporate white walls. However, the entire interior trim/cabinetry was painted SW Antique White. SW Antique White is a bit on the yellow side for me, and wouldn't have been my first choice for trim. However, our budget to repaint the entire house was alot. So, I decided I could live with the existing trim paint awhile and just repaint the walls white. I'd prefer all white walls with a "greige" or deep taupe trim. (in due time....other important things to spend $ on, like window treatments)

We did repaint some kitchen cabinetry and the cabinets in the Study. However, that's another post I'll share soon.

So, for starters you can see in the living room we painted the walls white. We also wanted to give the fireplace some depth and texture. We removed the builder's grade mantel, and added a rubble type rock, reminiscent of Italian farmhouses. (click on any photo to enlarge the photo)
We knew we also wanted a chunky interesting piece of wood as the new mantel. Our contractor Mark just happened to have an interesting piece of an old cedar back at his house that he thought we might like. His friend had just cut large cedar trees on a ranch, but kept some interesting pieces. One of the pieces was this wood mantel Mark brought over. Mark cleaned and sanded it to it's natural beauty , and cut it to fit the fireplace wall. He also sealed the wood with a clear sealer. I like the look because it's got a bit more modern look being thin vs. a lodge style thick mantel.
See those spaces & cabinets on either side of the rock fireplace? We are hunting for the right old barn wood or antique doors to cover the arch areas , and add more interest into the room.
Again, I'm only giving you a glimpse until I get a new camera and more room fluffing complete. You can see sleepy Dylan on the left floor and his dog toy on rug, always!

It's good to be back at the computer and I look forward to revealing more of the new house soon.

Until then I also wanted to thank Becky Harris from HOUZZ for writing this fun article on my last farmhouse project, HERE. Received alot of fun response from the article and I appreciate all the nice comments so very much. I hope you'll take the time to read the article and learn more about that precious farmhouse. We'll miss the setting, the houses, great neighbors and that wonderful pool.
But I'm hoping our Tuscan style one story will inspire you as well. We're in the process of building a pool here also and excited to share the garden and pool, when the time comes.

You know I love Italian decor, but I also love anything French. Jordan of Oh Happy Day, is hosting an amazing giveaway for two flight tickets & a tres chic hotel stay in Paris! Check out her fun blog and the trip details HERE . Jordan is an American girl living in Paris for a year with her husband and family. She will personally take you on a Paris tour to all the great stores and sights as well. I believe the contest is almost over, so enter today!

I'll get back to designing pillows and dog beds soon. I know I keep promising new designs, but the move set me back on getting things into production.

Have a great day and I'll be back again soon,

BOYS, BOYS, BOYS

2011-04-16T22:19:00.009-05:00

I'm doing my research today for my son's new room scheme. I've been on the hunt gathering ideas and pictures from other designers that inspire me.
I know, it was just yesterday we completed my son's room and now we're moving again.

Wanted to share some of my fave boy spaces from a very inspiring L.A. designer, Kristen Panich.
Although I'll be creating a room for a "tween", I wanted to share boys' rooms she's created for all ages:

Notice the Thomas O'Brien lighting over the trophy shelves:

The Pro basketball player wall sticker is great, along with the painted red floors & accent doors:Cozy beds with great reading lamps:
A Decorator's most challenging client is truly themselves.
The next few weeks will be busy figuring out the right paint colors for our new house and the direction of each room.

I like to gather and print ideas on a bulletin board or keep in a file, for each room. After a few days of researching, gathering fabric & paint swatches and plenty of pictures , the "look" evolves and the canvas begins to unfold.
I look forward to sharing the new house ideas soon.

Hope you're having a beautiful weekend,

xoxo,

DEJA VU

2011-04-13T09:23:00.018-05:00

Feeling like you've seen that coffee table and sofa before? You have! They're the pieces I just bought! (see my previous post) I just spotted them in the debut issue of TRADhome.
(click on photos to enlarge)

Sasha Adler and Lauren Gold, a creative design duo from Nate Berkus Design, created the cozy interiors. I love how they used the same coffee table and sofa. Their design is different from what I have envisioned for my same pieces. But it was fun to have just bought those same pieces, and then see it in this fabulous magazine!
I'm in love with the new TRADhome. They've got great design articles, amazing rooms & inspiring designers. I also love the interiors here, from the creative trio of designers from Bonesteel Trout Hall :

You'll have to check out all the other pages of the fabulous

TRADhome magazine HERE .

I really like this magazine alot because it's easy to navigate. Hope you'll check it out too.
Let me know what you think!

All the best,

xoxo,

Images via TRADhome .

CRYSTAL CREEK HOUSE - SOLD!

2011-04-11T14:19:00.011-05:00

Yes, it's a bittersweet sell, but we've sold our Crystal Creek house! For many different reasons, my husband & I decided it was time to move. We're staying in Austin but closer to the lake.
We actually sold our house before it went into MLS. Our buyers found it on our realtor's website as "coming soon to MLS". Our buyer's live in Geneva, Switzerland, but had their Mom stop in to see if it would be a house they'd like (their Mom lives close to Austin). Long story, but we started long distance emails & lots of extra pictures were sent. The next week after the Mom eyes it, the buyer leaves Geneva on a Friday flight. He has to come solo because his wife needs to stay home with little ones. He gets here Saturday evening. Views the property on Saturday evening, writes a contract Sunday morning and gets on a flight to Geneva Sunday around lunchtime! We closed on this past Friday. Yes, it truly all worked out...there's more fun details to the story. But most people would've thought it was a bogus story....man flying from Geneva with offer, right?
They seem like a beautiful family and we're thrilled to pass this sweet place to a family we know will cherish and love it too.

So, where are we moving? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned for the details of the next house. We'll have fun with the journey.
Here's some deals we scored at the local Restoration Hardware outlet this weekend. Can you tell the direction we'll be going with this house?

rustic baskets with rope detail

Parsons reclaimed wood coffee table

(sorry on that glare!)

comfy tufted Belgian linen sofa
(we're talking a LONG sofa...10' long!)

very heavy & large iron mirror , hangs from thick rope

Steven and I are excited about the ideas for the new house. We have a great time collaborating on homes & we look forward to sharing the next redesign with you soon.

So, now you see why I've been busy and still haven't posted new dog beds or pillows on the store. Life got very busy to say the least!
Hope to share the new goods soon.

All the best,

xoxo,

JAYSON HOME & GARDEN

2011-04-07T11:35:00.013-05:00

I recently discovered Jayson Home & Garden's website. They carry a variety of modern & vintage furnishings along with garden accessories.

Although they carry many traditional and modern sofas, the Suzani & linen sofa above truly caught my eye. Their website carries alot of great finds that you should check out. I've assembled a small sampling of some fun stuff for you to see.

Variety of chairs:

Lots of trays for serving or hanging on the wall; like this decoupaged glass tray:
Art, such as this framed handmade chair series ,created with vintage books.

Many different baskets.
I love this rectangular zinc and willow planter:

Vintage French grape basket:They also carry a large selection of garden pots. In Austin we can find colorful pots everywhere, but I know some towns can't locate them easily. Thought you'd love to know this resource because they'll ship pottery. Here's a good lookin' selection of turquoise pots:
Happy shopping! If you ever decorate with any items I feature, send me a photo! I'd love to know if you liked their site too. Visit Jayson Home & Garden by clicking HERE.

I have some fun news to share in my next post soon. Hope you'll check back!

Until then, have a beautiful day,

xoxo,

GOLD DIGGER

2011-03-31T08:25:00.032-05:00

Gold is timeless and exudes a warmth to any interior design.

I'm working on a project where the open kitchen/family room have stone floors. Gold lighting may be the trick to warm up the expanse of the room.

Circa Lighting has so many great choices , many created by inspiring Designers. Most of Circa's lighting comes in a variety of metal finishes .
Ralph Lauren Home:
Suzanne Kasler wall sconces:

Alexa Hampton:

While at a Herff Christiansen show, I shot a photo of the designer's beautiful powder bathroom with the Greek key sconces (she was waiting on her mirror):

The pictures don't do the sconces justice, but I can assure you they're beautiful and rich in person.

Circa's library sconces are great to suspend over a library bookcase or above the side of a bed for reading:

I love this light to fit within a shelf in a Study or Formal Living Room.
A small easel with a light above:

Great to showcase an interesting book or small framed artwork, as shown here in a different finish:

Their table lamps are gorgeous:

You can always find unique kitchen pendants at Circa as well:

If gold is too shiny for your decor, you can kick it down a notch with an antiqued brass finish :

Thomas O'Brien

Sandy Chapman

I personally love to wear a mix of gold and silver jewelry. And I like to mix the two metals in interior design as well. I mixed a silver ceiling here with a gold chandelier.

You can see in this picture below (click to enlarge also), that there are silver light pendants, nickel cabinet hardware & stainless in the kitchen. Adding the touch of gold to the dining room just gives the overall space a warmth.

Since I'm gold diggin' today, thought I'd share some new jewelery pieces I think are warm & beautiful too:

Mallarino earrings available through Net A Porter

And I love gold when it's mixed with turquoise, tres chic! This gorgeous bracelet is from fellow Austinite Kendra Scott's spring collection.

Are you a gold digger too?

Have a gold kissed day,

xoxo,

Great old Girl Scouts motto:

"Make new friends but keep the old ones; one is silver and the other's gold."

LUKE'S LOO

2011-03-29T10:06:00.017-05:00

The "Loo" is a British slang term for the water closet, lavatory, toilet or basically the bathroom.

I'm finally sharing pictures of Luke's Loo. Remember Luke's bedroom & notice that mirror on the left?

The entry to Luke's Loo is just to the left of that mirror above.

Ok, so here's where you enter Luke's new Loo from his bedroom, and now notice the placement change of the mirror?

If you've been following my blog awhile, you'll remember this wall used to be the back of our house (a home built in the 1800's) and windows used to be in this spot. Once we had to bust out the old windows, we realized we needed to find old vintage wood to repair the area or come up with something creative to fill in the void.
Finding vintage wood to match the wall exactly was challenging. Therefore we decided to move his mirror from the old spot & permanently hang the mirror directly to the vintage wall and frame around it. The mirror and white trim made up for our vintage wood challenge. The previous placement of the mirror wouldn't have looked right in that old spot because you'll see that now the bathroom barn door swings out onto that wall.
Also notice we added two open transom windows for extra natural light. I always like to add transoms when you need additional light flooding into a room.

Luke's bathroom at one time was the master bathroom of our home. When it was the master bathroom, we had a bathtub in there , which you can barely see at the bottom of this older photo:
Notice Luke's room in the mirror view? For awhile Luke had to step into this old window, over the tub, to get into his bathroom. We had just added our new master bathroom onto our master bedroom. We closed the doorway that led into our bedroom from this bathroom by adding a mirror in that spot:

Also, notice the formica black and white tiles of that old bathroom picture?
You'll see later that we removed the tiles to expose the charming wood floors hidden underneath, original to the house. Although I liked those black and white tiles too.

Mark, our truly talented Carpenter, created this cool barn door leading into the new Loo from Luke's room:

He also created the rolling barn door in the picture here:
Here's the exposed original 1800's wood floors. I just love their charm.

It's truly hard to capture the shower side of the bathroom in a photogenic way. In person I love the look: simple & classic. White subway tiles on a large shower with shiny chrome fixtures and a transom above. (lighting was off that day)
Our original thought was to have a frameless glass shower enclosure because they look so good. For two reasons we decided a spa shower curtain was the answer instead:
1) more economical
2) boys don't always wipe down showers when finished!
In our area, it's best to wipe down your shower doors each time to keep it spot free.

Luke's Loo is a small bathroom. To enlarge the space, using the white tiles and mirrors opens up the look. We put a full length trimmed mirror on both ends of the bathroom. You can create your own custom size mirrors by just getting trim at Lowe's and framing out the mirror.But my picture just isn't doing the poor shower justice. Sorry for the poor lighting/photography above.

Thank heavens, Paul Finkel captured the rest of the renovated Loo in his professional and beautiful picture here:

I'm headed to the Marburger/Round Top Antique festivals this week. I'll be sure to take photos for you.
Are you headed out there this week?
If not, it's worth a trip out to Texas one season for this really fun antiques event.

Have a beautiful day,

xoxo,

p.s. remember you can always click on any photo to enlarge.

Images via Paul Finkel, Katie Clementson & jvw home

GOOD DAY FOR THE BLUES

2011-03-22T11:27:00.022-05:00

Today I've got the blues. The good kind of blues: blue fabrics, blue flowers, blue Swedish furniture & blue waters.

Spring is officially here and I'm loving it.
The snapdragons are coming back, the iris and daffodils are sprouting,
and the Texas bluebonnets are making their grand entrance. Bluebonnets are the official state flower and they line our highways this time of the year.
Over the years we've planted lots of Texas wildflower seeds in our gardens, including the bluebonnets. We had a hard freeze this winter and some of the bluebonnets are still trying to come out....but they're looking prettier everyday:

We've learned over the years, not to trim or cut the bluebonnets after the blooms fade. If you let them fall and reseed, then you'll continue to have more and more blooms every year. This year the seeds even blew over to my boxwood planters and are now growing in this pot!

Bluebonnets always remind me (and my calendar does too) that the famous Round Top/Warrenton/Marburger Antique shows are just around the corner. Round Top, Texas is about an hour and 1/2 drive away for me. We make the trek 2 times each year. The drive there is always pretty with the bluebonnets and other flowers surrounding the highways and farms. The antique shows are held in the Spring and in the Fall. Located in more than a half a dozen small rural Texas towns, all surrounding Round Top, Texas, and located between Houston and Austin. The farms in the area are situated on rolling hills and it's really pretty. You've got to get there early in the day and plan to stay til the evening to cover most of it. Truly just miles and miles of this eye candy:

(love Swedish blue antiques )

I had a booth there one year, but I promise you it's MUCH more fun to be a shopper. I have to give the vendors credit because there is so much work that goes into the set up and just being out there day after day. Plus our unpredictable Spring weather is always crazy and some years they get loads of rain out there. So far the weather is looking great for their opening weekend.

If you've never been to any of the shows , then you've got to check it out this Spring or in the Fall. Click HERE for info.

Thinking about a summer getaway with gorgeous blue waters. I've got it, Isla Mujeres!

I'm also thinking about some blue fabrics for a future project.
What do you think of Annie Selke's blue links linen?
We currently have the pink links linen in our store right now HERE. Thinking I'll order the blue for some pillows and my new project. Do you love it like I do? I love a good classic pattern and blue & white are timeless together.

Hope you're having a blue sky day,

xoxo,

"Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy." ~ Bertrand Russell (British Philosopher)

Images via: Na Balam Hotel, Casa Zama, Greenhouse Fabrics, jvw home,Time Worn Interiors,Gilded Life, Beadboard UpCountry,Casa Principessa

Crystal Creek Cottages Part 2

2011-03-19T09:03:00.028-05:00

Today is part 2 of the Crystal Creek Cottages (our home), recently photographed by the very talented Paul Finkel of Piston Design Photography. I told you I'd show you his interior photos of our houses. Here's a few Paul sent me recently of our home.

So come on inside!

Remember our main house was originally built in the 1800's? Here you can truly see the thickness of the walls, where we cut out a niche for our Virgin Mary.
(remember you can always click each photo to enlarge. Sorry if I tell you that every time, but never know if I have a new reader that doesn't know you can enlarge photos. Does anyone know HOW to post pics already enlarged?? Similar to Cote de Texas photos? I would love to know...)
The double sided fireplace separates the living room from the library/sitting room above.Steven's office:

Master bedroom :

Master bathroom with my fave, the fireplace that turns on with a switch!:Family room with burlap backed cabinetry:
Main house guestroom:Kitchen:

Another house fave of mine is the pantry with baking center , warming oven, and 2nd refrigerator.
The glass front 2nd refrigerator is a commercial fridge from Frigidaire (love this).
The Fridgidaire has been great and we would highly recommend this one. Has out performed any 2nd fridge we've had in other homes, and it costs alot LESS than fancier versions. Here's the link to the Fridgidaire HERE.

Here's another angle of the kitchen photographed from Katie Clementson back in the Fall.

Notice at the top left, is the Kenmore Elite Commercial refrigerator and freezer we use as our main unit. We've been VERY happy with their performance and quality too. Again, a better price point than alot of the higher end commercial lines. You can also find the set at Sears, just like the Fridgidaire glass front one.
I couldn't find the link to the refrigerator side. However, I did find the link to the freezer side HERE. When you click on the link, you can also see the interior features of both the freezer and the refrigerator.
We bought the refrigerator and the freezer and installed them side by side.
We love the extra industrial size and look. Definitely the conversation piece of the kitchen, along with the pot filler!

(photo by Katie Clementson also)

Luke's room:
Oh, remember I told you I'd post pics about Luke's updated bath? Paul only sent this one, but next post I'll show you the rest of his bathroom.
Going outside to the guesthouse. My design studio is on the first floor:
Upstairs is the guesthouse guestroom:Guesthouse bathroom with industrial style Ikea closet

Spring Break is almost over. We stayed in town for the SXSW Festival , which was really amazing. If you haven't been , you need to experience one year. Typically held each year during our Spring Break, so we're usually out of town. Last time we went was years ago and it's grown so much. The festival celebrates the film industry the first part of the week, then music the latter part of the week. Musicians from ALL over the world come into town and the venues are all up and down the downtown streets. Well known bands as well as new and rising bands all co-exist for the event, and the eclectic variety up and down the streets , and in the venues, hosts something for everyone. Really fun to sit back and just watch all the different people walking the blocked off downtown streets. You see a beautiful and yes, very eclectic, diverse group of people...but that is what's so beautiful.

Tiger and his band played 3 venues, so we were thrilled.

Today, we're headed out to the lake! Before I go, thought I'd remind you that we still have some really cute pillows in the store. Here's one I'm featuring today:
"Mod Rosie" is a beautiful weight linen with a graphic punch of roses.
Check out the pillow store HERE.
After Spring Break, I'll post new pillows and yes, those dog beds are coming soon too.

Make it a fab day, and remember to give someone a hug,
xoxo,

( photos courtesy of Paul Finkel, Katie Clementson, and Lauren Lesley Photography)

GREEN DAY

2011-03-17T09:48:00.015-05:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd write about green. Like the green pillow above, but also about "green" design.

In home design, we think of "green" as living environmentally conscious.
I love new communities that are all about new urbanism & green building.

South Main in Buena Vista, Colorado is one of those beautifully planned green communities. As stated on their website, "South Main is committed to building a neighborhood that is environmentally, economically & socially sustainable, built to be loved for generations." Click on the photos below to enlarge and see their vision:
The quaint charming neighborhood offers a number of amenities for great outdoor family times such as bicycling,

kayaking, hiking, snow skiing, rock climbing,

fishing, etc, etc.

Alot of homes and businesses have already been built and there's even a few vacation rentals on the community website.
Here's an example of a vacation rental interior:

Check out their website and blog HERE for alot more info and more photos.

Speaking of green.....I think you need some new green pillows for the Spring!

You can buy a pair of these HERE.

I'll post those interior photos of Crystal Creek tomorrow.

Make it a great day,

CRYSTAL CREEK COTTAGES

2011-03-14T08:33:00.019-05:00

On my last post I told you about Paul Finkel of Piston Design Photography.
Paul rocks at residential photography in Austin and San Antonio.
Recently he photographed our home and I wanted to share some of his work. Today I'm showing you photos he took of our exterior. Tomorrow I'll show you his photos of the inside and then later in the week I'll show you amazing homes he's photographed.
Keep in mind the photos were taken just after our last hard freeze in the area and before the large crepe myrtle trees bloom!
You can also appreciate his work better by clicking on the photos to enlarge:

(hmm.....that antenna on the top of the yellow guesthouse is not on our house....it's a radio tower miles away!)

Love how he captured the light below ,of the pool area. The waterfall pump was broken the day of the photo shoot (thanks to the last hard freeze)....but it's working again, thank heavens!

Hope you're having a great day,

STUDIO JVW

2011-03-12T21:03:00.014-06:00

My design studio has moved around our house and guesthouse many times, like a game of musical chairs.
The guesthouse studio has evolved from a gameroom, to design studio, to a recording studio

and now again the "jvw home" design studio.
The linen boards around the room were designed originally for soundproofing the room for the music studio. We also had heavy gauge insulated curtains for extra sound proofing & alot of thick rugs on the floor.
I kept the linen boards when the room became the design studio again because they work great for large bulletin boards for design ideas, story boards of rooms, etc..The linen is wrapped around acoustical sound proof boards. The large boards are screwed into the walls. When the room became a design studio, I had to camo the screws, so I added linen thumbtacks from Pretty Originals. Some are plain linen, others have a design like these
and I used a few blue and white ones also.
Speaking of "musical chairs", have you ever seen this cute china line?
Barbara Barry, one of the most influential and talented designers created this line for Wedgewood.

My design studio was recently photographed by one of my fave photographers, Paul Finkel of Piston Design. Next week I'll share more of the pictures he took around here, tell you more about Paul and his amazing work.

Still working on our dog beds and adding more pillows to the Etsy store. Our main focus in the summer will shift primarily to the pet bed line.
My camera is back from the shop, so I'll be able to photograph the new pillows & pet beds soon. Oh yes, and I told you in the last post I'd show you Luke's new bathroom. Next week! Loads happenin' around here and I'll tell you more soon.

Keep your hearts and prayers with Japan....

xoxo,

Images via:
Raw Toast Design, Studio Ten 25, Pretty Originals, Piston Design

Sneak Peek

2011-02-23T11:44:00.010-06:00

I've got a small new project to share. Unfortunately my camera is in the shop. I dropped my camera on the garage floor last weekend and therefore I'm showing you a sneak peek into the project (above) via my IPhone, until I can get decent photos. The doorway leads into the new project, Luke's bathroom.

The bathroom used to be the small master bath of our house ,until we added our new one here:

Remember Luke's room? See that interior window on the back left?

Well for a few months after we completed his room remodel,
Luke had , let's just say, a "conversation piece" in his room. He had a 2 step stool that we placed in front of that window. Luke would step onto the stool to get into the window to use his bathroom! (wish I had taken a photo of this)
But you can see that the window is a high window. Even adults could stand on the window sill and be fully standing.
We needed to take a break from dishing out $ to our carpenter though, so we knew we had to wait a few months until we could go through the rest of the remodel. So, months later we finally began the process of ripping out the antique window, replacing it with a door, gutting out the old tub and creating a new subway tile shower for Luke & redoing the floors.
I'll give you some pics of the reveal when the camera comes back!

Another sneak peek is this absolutely amazing vacation home from Mykonos, Greece:
Head over to House of Turquoise where Erin features this charming villa & more pictures. Truly looks like heaven on Earth to me.

Have a beautiful day,
xoxo

BLANCO

2011-02-19T11:37:00.016-06:00

You know you've gone "blogger crazy" when you're in the bathroom of a restaurant and you're shooting photos of the bathroom decor.The restroom is located within the Uptown Blanco restaurant complex. The complex was originally built in the 1900's on the town square of Blanco, Texas and is currently being revamped into a multi-use center.

Here's the front facade back in the 1900's, the new restaurant is located within the tallest building:

The complex used to be part of the original theater , where they would show silent movies. In 1938 the theater was converted to a conventional silver screen theater complete with a marquee.
Inside the revitalized complex, you'll find the new restaurant, theater, bar, textile studio and beautiful courtyards for private parties. Blanco is located in the beautiful Texas hill country, about a 45 minute drive from San Antonio or Austin. Originally built on the banks of the Blanco River, it was named "Blanco" because of the white limestone riverbed bottom. Blanco means white in Spanish.

The food within the Uptown Blanco grill is delicious and upscale. Recently they hired a fabulous chef named Nathan and he's creating unique dishes. However, one of the best dishes they make is the good ole chicken fried steak.

The restroom though truly caught my attention because of it's fun, classic black and white decor.
(remember it's always best to click on photos to enlarge each one...you'll see better detail)

Once you look up, you'll love the details:They mounted movie reels as a border all around the trim of the ceiling with a mirror background. I wanted you to see these, because I think someone could make a very cool residential media room with this detail!

Check out the lighting above the stalls:

Great industrial lights that would be great again , in a media room. If your media room has a bathroom off to the side, then white not use tile with this retro black and white classic look?
Above the bathroom stalls, they decorated with this iron work and lighting behind it:
Recently the cast and crew from TRUE GRIT hung out at the Uptown Blanco and I'm sure they loved the bathrooms. ( the mens room is decorated the same)
TRUE GRIT was filmed across the street at the old Blanco Courthouse:

Ok, if you decide to decorate in this black and white scheme, remember I've got some great pillows in my store:

Click HERE to purchase our pillows!

Have a great weekend....
xoxo

Images via jvw home, Historic Blanco, Blanco Texas

I HEART YOU

2011-02-13T09:07:00.019-06:00

Wishing you a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY with loads of love & gratitude.

(Luke in 2009, Port Aransas Beach)

Wishing you a few of my favorite things & some girly girl pink for Vday:

.....more roses & of course candies:
......scrumdillyumptious cupcakes:
.......new Spring pillows from "jvw home", you can purchase HERE:
(remember, honeysuckle pink is THE hot design color of 2011, according to Pantone.)

....definitely some rockin' chocolates:
No one can diet on Valentine's Day....just not right, ok? Seize the moment!
My "boys" all love getting Roscar truffles from me every Vday....it's become a tradition in our family the last few years. You just can't beat their amazing decadent flavors.
You can buy Roscar truffles at Breed & Co., or at the Roscar factory in Bastrop, Texas. IMO, Roscar rocks the truffle world! I love any of their flavors, but the most unusual flavors such as "jalapeno" are truly the best. If it has an unusual ingredient, then it will be amazing....such as "tequila"!

....romantic & heartfelt Valentine's:

Cristin of Simplified Bee shared the very chic FREE Valentine's E-cards from the multi-talented Kate Spade team. Click HERE to look at all their unique Valentine E-cards. You can still share today & there are so many fun choices!!!

....gotta run cuz :

xoxoxo,

Images via: Kate Spade, Graphics Fairy, jvw home

WOOD IS GOOD

2011-02-10T09:52:00.026-06:00

I love homes that mix antique wood pieces within a modern setting. Whether it's a set of antique doors , antique furniture , antique beams,

(Traditional Home Magazine)

old reclaimed wood floors in a modern home, or the antique timber frame set within some part of a house. Old wood pieces just give a home warmth, character & a visual texture.

Our very good friends are putting their fabulous home ,from the hills of Austin,
on the market.
The 4.17 acre property consists of a new modern main house, built using an antique barn as part of the framing:

.. an original homestead rock guesthouse:

....and a pool within a serene setting:
(if you click on the photo, you'll see a ridge of houses across the way... those houses are on my street..when we walk our dog down our street, we can see way over the canyon to their home..it's a beautiful view)
The beautiful crystal clear Barton Creek rests in the canyons between our streets.

There's also an extra large barn/workshop not pictured on their property.

The main modern house was constructed using the timber frame of an antique barn from the 1840's. The frame, originally from a barn in Pennsylvania, was brought to our friends' land, and reconstructed by Heritage Restorations.

Heritage Restorations buys old barns from all over , sells them, then they assist you with the reconstructing of the frame. Our friends' home builder finished out the modernization of the home, after Heritage did the initial "barn raising". The only antique feature of the home is the framing, the rest of the home is very modern.

Heritage Restorations has an amazing portfolio of homes that have been built, using their frames. Also, if you're ever interested in their frames or wood pieces, they will ship and construct anywhere in the world!

Below are a few of my fave "reconstructed barns" from Heritage's website:

If you're interested in more pics or details about our friends' Austin home, you can click HERE .

And if you'd love to peruse the Heritage Restorations site & photo gallery, click HERE.

Hope you're having a beautiful weekend!

All the best,
xoxo,

ORANGE YOU LOVIN' IT?

2011-02-09T11:42:00.019-06:00

Today is one of those days when it's freezing cold outdoors and I'm craving warm sunshine, Spring and bright colors.
Orange and turquoise are going to be a fun addition to Spring & Summer interiors this year.

Pillows are a great way to update a room each season. It's that time again to think of new Spring colors and put away the winter colors. Maria Killam of Colour Me Happy blog once said, " pillowscapes are a great way to show off color without making a large investment".

I love these pillows from the shop and hope you'll consider them to brighten your interiors in the coming months:

Today while I was downloading my photos to the blog post, I took a break to read email. I had just titled my post " orange you lovin' it?", and then I get Rene's blog post from Bargain Hoots with this post about these "orange" stickers, from Twig and Thistle:
Orange they cute?!

Check out the other cute stickers on her post today HERE. They're a great way to add some fun to any one's lunchbox!

Rene and I were on the same "orange" wave length of thinking!

Also, wanted to shout out a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LUKE!!! (my youngest son)
Tomorrow he'll turn the big 12!

aka Al Pacino!

Love ya dearly Luke!!!

Make it a great day!

xoxo

Images via:
Lily Pulitzer, Habitually Chic, jvw home, Bargain Hoot, House of Turquoise,
Tim Clarke Design

GOING UP !

2011-02-04T08:08:00.014-06:00

I told you I'd show you the upstairs to the Highland Homes model home. (if you missed the gorgeous downstairs, then read the previous post)

Although the downstairs had the neutral monochromatic color scheme, the upstairs of the home is decorated in a red/black/linen color scheme. The designers chose the colors because the model home is located in the Lake Travis Independent School District (LTISD). LTISD school colors are red and black, and proud of those school colors. Lake Travis High School has won a State Football Championship the last 4 years , in a row!

Sorry this pic was taken from my IPhone on the first visit:

I like this headboard they created from a heavy gauge black denim with antique brass
nailhead trim:

Media Room (ok, hard to photograph!):

Gameroom/Study Area:
(click on the photo to enlarge...then you can see the nice linen chairs w/nailhead detail)

Click on this photo to see the upholstery cloth tape with nailhead trim detail, of the sofa:

The trim detail gives the sofa the extra touch of "oomph". Without that detail, it's very plain .

Other boys room decorated in the LT spirit:

LTISD future cheerleader/girls room:

I know the color scheme is very bold. Something you either really love or don't. But it does give you great visuals for how a room can have "punch" with a color stripe painted on the walls. Notice they painted a band/stripe of color in the last 2 bedrooms? The horizontal stripe of paint visually makes a room feel larger by carrying your eye around the room.

Remember this room from the Southern Living Idea House 2009?
Again, a room opened up visually with a bold splash of paint. (this room was designed by Tracery Interiors)

Also, I wanted to add something to my last post about decorating a neutral monochromatic color scheme. Candice Olson summed it up recently with a great tip:
"with a monochromatic palette of lighter, soft hues such as grays, whites and silver, use a variety of materials to bring visual and physical comfort to a space. Contrast unexpected, plush textures with smooth, satiny, and reflective elements to create visual interest within a single color palette."
You can see more of this beautiful bedroom Candice decorated, by clicking HERE.

Next time I post I promise to have the format back to normal. (my pics are all over the place, I know!)
I've been experimenting with the "new editor" of Blogger. I love the ease of downloading photos on the "new" editor all at once, but still haven't mastered the placement of pics onto the blog post. I think I'll go back to "old editor". Any other bloggers experience the same problems, or do you love the "new editor" version?

Hope yall have a great weekend...it snowed today in Austin, a rarity around here. Now the sun is shining and it truly is beautiful outdoors. Already warming back up, very typical Austin weather!

Our place in the hills of Austin, with our neighbor's dog Jack walking around:
From the pool area, looking down to main house and guesthouse:

Luke enjoying a day off from school, on our street: ( a lil birdie told us Jesse James (Sandra Bullock's ex) recently moved into the teal house on the hill, in the background.)

Stay warm wherever you are!,

xoxo

p.s. with all pics, you can always click to enlarge.....

SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL

2011-01-31T09:11:00.030-06:00

Recently we went to visit another model home in Austin, of Highland Homes. We loved the interior decor of the entire home. IBB DESIGN of Frisco, Texas created the fabulous interiors. IBB Design also has a great blog called "Designer Detective" you can read HERE. (you must check out her recent kitchen redo)

Today I'm featuring the downstairs of the model home, in it's serene monochromatic color scheme. (click to enlarge, on any photo)

Alot of the furniture looked like pieces I've seen at Restoration Hardware but you could check with IBB Design because they have an entire warehouse of furnishings.

Pictures don't do the dining room justice. Neutral rooms like this are very hard to capture on a lens without looking, well, absolutely blah. Similar to looking at a current Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn catalog. Once you step into the store though (or in this case, the model home) the neutral color scheme is SO calming and beautiful. Just doesn't photograph well!

Designers are usually given budget constraints for model home decorating by the builder. Therefore the lighting isn't always something unique in a model home. The chandelier they used is nice, but you could always upsize your budget and do something like this:
The gorgeous chandy above is from Adair Cunningham in Mississippi. Adair handcrafts each chandelier according to the size of your table, room, ceiling details, etc.. All of her work is unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Each custom design is built and finished by hand. Her pricing is very competitive and she has alot of gorgeous lighting. Available only to the trade, but if you'd like a quote or more pics of her samples, email me!

Another example of Adair's custom work in a large open space:Do some of you remember way back , when I said I was working on a "Fish Camp"project? Well, Adair created some beautiful lighting for the Fish Camp. Can you believe I still don't have new pics of Fish Camp, to reveal? I haven't been there to take new pics. I'm hoping to get over to Mississippi this Spring and then I'll have those pics to share finally. If you want to know what the "Fish Camp" project was, you can read about it HERE.

Another rustic chandelier that would work great in the model home dining room, would be the
Cordiff Chandelier from Clayton Gray Home:

When working with a monochromatic color scheme, it is SO important to have alot of varying textures within the room, along with varying tones of fabrics.

I love the simplistic burlap curtain panels they used here.

Burlap is a great way to add texture to any room. The curtain panels are unlined,

allowing the light to filter through ....a great inexpensive way to make gorgeous curtain panels.

You can find other comparable panels at Ballards Designs, but to get that crisp pressed linen look, you need to have them professionally sewn & pressed. I personally like a plain hem vs. the fringe hem that Ballards offers.

LOVE the art burlap pieces:

Someone crafty could easily recreate this look. Simply stretch burlap or nubby linen on an art frame. Next stencil or draw your favorite design onto the fabric.

(click to enlarge)

Sweet bench with nailhead detail. Great use of space in this small niche.

Walking into the family room,

Noticed the bleached wood ducks in flight?

(again, click to enlarge any pic, if you really want good details!)

Love the antiqued mirrors. Great way to add light to an interior wall.

The pendant kitchen lights were my fave lighting of the model home. Simple, yet classic :

The breakfast room has charming French Bistro chairs in a weathery grey finish.

Not sure where the designers found these chairs, because they have a great "kid friendly" laminated cushion. However, you can find similar bistro chairs at Restoration Hardware, or World Market. You can compare pricing of each by going to
World Market
HERE,
or go to Restoration Hardware's version HERE.
If you're looking for the laminated ones they used, contact IBB DESIGN.

Cute placemats:

Again, you could easily create the same thing by cutting linen mats, then stenciling a design in black on the mats. If you're cooking a romantic Valentine's dinner, why not draw something romantic onto the placemats, and surprise your honey?

Notice they have the burlap curtains in this room as well.

The panels are lined because of the west sun that will come into this room. Even with today's energy efficient windows, it's a good idea to line curtains that face the sun. If not, the sun will eventually fade the burlap and make it brittle.

Onward to the guest bedroom. Layers of linen create a soothing retreat for your guests:

I love the burlap trunks for the nightstand, available at IBB DESIGN .

Handsome finish on this dresser:

I really love this linen fabric with the bird scene. I'll have to email the Designer and find out the resource for yall. She used it in the guest bathroom for the shower curtain as well:

Oh so cute dog prints:

Click on them to enlarge, they're precious.

Next, the master retreat:

The mirrors look similar to the ones I found at Crate & Barrel for Rene's Redo:

Over in the bay window of the master retreat, they used an off white nubby linen for the curtain panels:

Loved this lamp, but again the pictures don't do this color scheme or accessories justice. The antiqued mirror base of the lamp gave it a vintage glam look.

(click to see up close)

The master bed set is a happy compromise; where men prefer dark wood, women prefer the softer upholstered headboard with nailhead detail.

They upholstered this bed in a creamy oatmeal linen.

On the next post, I'll feature the upstairs rooms. Hope you'll check back for the rest of this gorgeous model home.

I always heart my subscribers,
and today I'm sending you this heart via Overstock. The sweet necklace is on sale today, and you can buy it HERE.

Hope you're staying warm wherever you are. I've had my fireplace blazing all day just in case, cuz I keep hearing about the major power outages everyone's reporting.

I have a feeling this major cold blast around the USA will create many babies 9 mths from now! Snuggle with someone you love.....

Please contact me HERE if you'd like to order custom linen window treatments. You don't have to live in Austin either. Simple window treatment panels can be drop shipped directly to your house. Let me know if you're interested and I can send you instructions on measuring, pricing & turnaround time.

All the best,

COME ON IN!

2011-01-28T09:25:00.006-06:00

We have posts to share!

I missed yall today and wondered why my last 2 posts weren't getting emailed to subscribers. My Feedblitz techie told me my prob and I think I resolved it.

This is a testing post, but also a way to let yall know that I have 2 posts you might have missed. So scroll down & look for the lil box on the right , says "click here to read our older posts" & check them out.

Hopefully my next post will get published right and this glitch won't happen again.

Have a great weekend!
xoxoo,

CHALK IT UP!!

2011-01-21T08:43:00.039-06:00

On a recent visit to a model home by Grand Haven Homes on Lake Travis, I spotted cute chalkboard paint ideas.

Voila! Blog post idea!

I instantly started a hunt for fun chalkboard things to share with yall. I'm sure if I had nothing better to do, I could come up with umpteen ideas and links, cuz you know I LOVE the hunt, but hey, time is precious.

The decorator of the Model Home used chalkboard paint & decorated each glass with a person's name. I think this would be a really cute idea at any dinner party. CHALK INK, sold at any craft store, is the best way to label any chalk crafts:
CHALK INK looks like regular chalk but doesn't smear and you can wipe it off with a wet wipe. Plus it has a finer point making writing easier.
Chalkboard paint comes in regular paint cans or you can buy the EZ spray kind HERE.

If you really look around, there are many ways you can turn something ordinary into something useful and fun with chalkboard paint. Great ideas from Isabella and Max blog:
Click HERE for the DIY on both boards:

I actually own the same tray above that they updated on HGTV with chalkboard paint, & thinking I'll modernize my own tray and turn it into a chalkboard.
For the "how to" on this tray and pot, click HERE.

ROCKY BELLA took a wooden wall rack and added a dash of paint for a fun saying of the day:
Makeover a silver tray like this:

Into something different like this:For the Shabby Nest tutorial, click HERE.

Paint an entire wall in your office with chalkboard paint & create a calendar on the wall:

You can also just paint a door panel in chalkboard paint. Here's my office door below & I had guests sign it for a Graduation party:
How about even painting lamps? Love these from ISABELLA AND MAX:
You can see the DIY tutorial of the chalkboard lamps HERE.

Not crafty or prefer to go shopping? Check out these fun chalkboard items from Etsy:

Houndstooth Designs chalkboard horses come in a variety of styles, with 2 pieces of chalk. Aren't they too cute? Instead of using a generic chalkboard for your kitchen messages, why not a horse, of course?:

Twice As Nice makes adorable silhouette chalkboards:
How about creating chalkboard art on canvas?
I will always love chandy's and I'm lovin' this chandelier art created by Just Live Simply. Check out her blog and tutorial HERE:
The vignette above reminds me of what I saw today at World Market They have their new Spring line hitting the aisles. The Blanc Noir Collection is a crisp clean look that coordinates beautifully with the mantel above: Notice the very cool Suzani rug under the table? I couldn't find it anywhere on the WM website in that colorway, but I've been to 2 World Market stores today and they both have them. The rug is predominantly black with a white and olive green Suzani motif. Beautiful in person!
Know what else would be FAB with this look? A pillow from JVW HOME!
You can purchase this beautiful pillow by clicking HERE.

I'll be adding more pillows soon and yes...

designer dog beds coming soon. Promise to keep yall posted!
Thanks again to all the new subscribers this week.

You rock my heart

and I appreciate you!!!

All the best,

xoxo

Images via:
Benjamin Moore, Rocky Bella, Poofy Cheeks, This Blessed Nest, Houndstooth Design, , Country Living, Shabby Nest, Just Live Simply, HGTV, Isabella & Max, Designology

HOME IS WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HAT

2011-01-17T07:36:00.038-06:00

We went to see THE KINGS SPEECH last Sunday night and absolutely loved it.
Abbe of Studio Ten 25 recently had a great post about the simplistic but beautiful set design. You can see the set design and Abbe's post by clicking here.

I also loved the elegant fashions King George VI & Queen Elizabeth wore in the movie.

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth had 2 daughters: Elizabeth and Margaret. The current reigning Queen of England is one of the daughters and now named Queen Elizabeth II:
You know I love hats and truly wish Americans continued to wear them more, like the Brits do.

I put together a small collage of pics of Queen Elizabeth II in a few of her many beautiful outfits with hats.

Notice all her cute brooches too.

Beautiful lace detail on the hat and her collar:
One of my fave hats:
Love her lil grin here & this color combo is great:
Another great color mix:
Adorable:

I can't wait to see the hats the beautiful Kate Middleton will be wearing!
She's got great style and will be such a trendsetter!

Do you have great hats and fab coats that just beg for display?
An industrial Ballard's coat rack would be great in an entry:

If space is a concern, this coat/hat rack is really Frenchy and cute.
If the color isn't right for you, it could be really cute spray painted a white or a neutral grey.
You can order one HERE.

Fashion designer
Malene Birger uses a basic garment rack in her entry . Although it's basic, it's industrial chic with the gorgeous coats.
I've seen a blog post recently and could NOT remember which one. But someone took a spare bedroom and turned it into a fabulous extra dressing room. The designer painted the walls a fun color and hung a chandelier in the middle of the room. She used rolling garment racks around the perimeter of the room. Created a beautiful dressing room! If someone knows the resource for that room, please let me know!

And keeping with the English theme here, I thought I'd pass on a great idea, teacup organization!

I recently spotted this cute idea on Marcus Design. Tea cups & saucers are a great way to display your jewelry, but could also be used for any office desk drawer too.
(ie: paper clips, rubber bands, push pins, etc.)

One of my favorite old sayings from the Karate Kid movie:

"HOME IS WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HAT"

(Luke's fetish for hats)

And if you really want to read the true meaning of that saying, click
HERE!

All the best!

xoxox,

P.S. I always wondered why I get subscribers but not many "followers" and thought maybe people just don't click "follow" anymore? Maybe I got on the blog band wagon too late and people didn't want to follow more blogs? But lately I received alot of "subscribers" in the last few days due to the Stylish Blogger Award post. Thanks to all those who recently signed up!! You mean alot to me!!! But still since the past few weeks, NO new followers, just subscribers. So, I really studied my blog design. I realized I had the "click here to subscribe" space up high on the right bar and people readily would see it. However the "followers" box was way low on the right bar! So, I'm thinking that's the cause. I moved the "followers" box up to the top right also, so that maybe people WILL click follow!
If you haven't clicked "follower", but are a subscriber, then I'd SO appreciate it if you also clicked "follower"....it helps me know more about my "followers"!
Thanks!!!!!

P.S.S. Remember to check out the pillows on my Etsy site HERE. Cuz you'll need some fresh new pillows for the Spring girls!!

Images via La Dolce Vita, Marcus Design, Angel Fire, My Royals ,Indy Week,CBS News, Telegraph, UPI